Page 63 of Mess With Me
Viv hurried through the open door and into the aisle.
They all gathered close, watching through the door that Hailey propped open with a small doorstop.
Viv was doing beautifully, walking instead of running like she had at rehearsal last night, and tossing fistfuls of rose petals to her left at regular intervals. Everyoneawwedand whispered because she was just so dang cute.
Unfortunately, she ran out of petals halfway down the aisle and came to a dead stop, turning the basket upside down and shaking it.
Alex Campbell, the groom and Viv’s daddy, gestured for her to blow kisses instead.
Viv shook her head, turned and stomped back toward the bridal party still waiting their turn to go down the aisle, with a disgruntled expression on her face.
The crowd tittered, craning their necks to see what she’d do next.
Alex rubbed the back of his neck. The groomsmen were all grinning. Ethan wasn’t among them or she would’ve given him a good glare. Alex had had to limit the number of brothers in his lineup.
Viv headed straight to Lauren, showing her the upside-down basket. “All gone!”
Sweet Lauren pulled a red rose from her own bouquet, handing it to Viv. “This is a super special flower so you need to hold it carefully. Don’t throw this one, okay?”
Viv stared at the rose in awe and tossed the basket behind her.
Ally set the basket out of the way and pulled a white carnation from her own bouquet. “Here you go.”
Everyone quickly followed suit. Viv’s eyes were wide as she clutched her very own bouquet of white and red flowers in both hands. Hailey appeared in a rush from a side door, holding a white satin ribbon that she used to quickly tie the flower stems together.
“Go, flower girl,” Hailey said, lifting Viv and depositing her at the end of the aisle again.
Viv walked jauntily down the aisle, holding her bouquet in front of her and beaming.
A chorus ofawws struck again.
Vivalmostmade it down the aisle.
Ally cringed. At this rate Lauren was never going to get her turn down the aisle. Just before Viv made it to the groom, she veered right, dropped the bouquet, and climbed into her grandfather’s lap.
“Close enough,” Lauren announced. “Let’s roll.”
Ally stood in the ballroom of Ludbury House, a sprawling two-and-a-half-story white clapboard mansion with white columns and a beautiful wraparound porch just across the street from the church, for the reception. Like all of historic Ludbury House, the ballroom was spectacular, lit with an elaborate gold and crystal chandelier in the center of the room over a hardwood dance floor. Round tables with white tablecloths and colorful floral centerpieces surrounded the dance floor, and tall white candles glowed on long tables on the far side of the room, where appetizers and drinks waited. Ally had seen Ethan filing in with the guys and had gotten a smile and a raised hand of acknowledgment from across the room, but nothing more.
Hailey sailed by. “We’re getting ready for the bride and groom’s special dance. Then everyone from the bridal party.”
Ally was paired up across the aisle with Ben Wright. He caught her eye and winked at her. She gave him a thumbs-up. That one had trouble written all over him. He was a flirt with a mischievous twinkly look in his eyes and a dimpled smile he used liberally. She imagined he left a string of broken hearts wherever he went.
The music started and the DJ announced the first dance of the bride and groom. Lauren and Alex moved perfectly together. Lauren was tall and graceful, Alex a smooth and confident lead. The bridal party was big, though it could’ve been huge if Hailey hadn’t stepped in as wedding planner and explained the logistical difficulty of getting all of Lauren’s friends and Alex’s brothers up at the altar. They ended up with Hailey and Lauren’s sister, Anne, both as maid of honor, and Carrie, Ally, Mad, and Claire as bridesmaids. Of course, with movie star Claire in attendance, the curtains had to be closed in the ballroom and a full security detail on guard both inside and out to keep away paparazzi. In any case, the large bridal party was mostly to match up with Alex’s groomsmen, his biological brothers, best man Josh, then Jake, Ty, Logan, and the two honorary brothers closest to his age, Park and Ben. The couples were partnered up across the aisle—Claire and Jake, Mad and Park—the rest of them paired randomly. Josh and Hailey did not pair up. That was definitely not random.
Her gaze drifted, seeking out Ethan again in his dark gray suit. She spotted him standing in the far corner of the room, holding a beer and talking to Zach. Their eyes met across the room. He said something to Zach and headed straight for her.
“Hi,” he said warmly when he reached her side. “You look gorgeous.” She glanced down at her lavender halter-style full-length dress. Not the most flattering style for her—being petite, it sort of swallowed up her body.
“Thanks, you too.” He looked unbelievably handsome in a suit. Her mind flashed to their impromptu hookup the last time he’d worn a suit. So hot neither of them had thought of protection. She went up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, “I’m not pregnant.”
“I know,” he said casually. “You told me it wouldn’t happen.”
“I thought I might hear from you.”
“I knew I’d see you here.”
She clenched her teeth, irritated with his casual attitude about what could’ve been a big deal.
